Previously, many types of roof drain arrangements and support plates have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means to mount and secure a drain assembly on a flat building roof.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention; however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Pat. No.InventorIssue Date4,487,690LogsdonDec. 11, 19844,943,100EmbersonJul. 24, 19905,051,175Walczak et al.Sep. 24, 19915,618,416HaefnerApr. 8, 19975,689,928RasksenNov. 25, 19975,724,777HubbardMar. 10, 19986,185,889 B1Gilgan et al.Feb. 13, 20016,953,208 B2WarneckeOct. 11, 20057,484,506 B2BesalFeb. 3, 2009
Logsdon in U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,690 teaches a roof drain for either a sump or a flush installation which incorporates a body having a centrally located water collecting section capable of attachment to a pipe. A first and a second surface are parallel to one another with the first surface mounting to the roof and the second surface is a sump with an insert fitting against the connecting surfaces located between the grate and the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,416 issued to Haefner is for a roof drain including a grated, inverted, frusto-conically shaped cover received in a roofing material clamp having a radial, upstanding debris discouraging flange. The cover and roof material clamp are demountably fixed to a flanged drain body and clampingly maintain roof material therebetween. The drain body is received by a flanged sleeve. The drain body and sleeve flanges clampingly maintain roof substrate therebetween by the use of a nut threadingly intergaging with threads on the drain body which urges the sleeve toward the roof substrate.
Rasksen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,928 discloses a roof drain for draining rain water from a flat roof having a conduit with a roof flange, a strainer and an opening cap, for eliminating debris. The roof flange extends peripherally outwardly around the top of the conduit and provides a connection between the surfaces of the roof. The conduit provides a connection with a drainage pipe located beneath the surface of the roof. The roof flange has a flat outer top surface and a recessed inner portion with a shoulder connecting the inner an outer portions of the roof flange. The strainer includes a hollow strainer basket with open bottom and top faces and side walls containing a plurality of apertures and a strainer flange extending peripherally outwardly around the bottom edge of the side walls of the strainer basket. The outside dimension of the strainer flange is sized to fit within the recessed portion of the roof flange.
Hubbard in U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,777 teaches a roof drain arrangement and method for sealing a space between an existing drain opening, the roof drain and a new roof membrane. The arrangement and method provide sealing an area between the roof drain and roof structure. Sealing is provided by adhesive material disposed on a lower surface of an upper flange portion of the insert portion or by adhesive on an upper surface of a base plate. This sealing may also be provided by a roofing membrane located between the lower surface of the upper flange and the base plate or a combination thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,889 B1 issued to Gilgan et al. is for a flat roof drainage system which utilizes a low point column head which allows the roof to be drained at the center of a structural member located at the low point of the roof. The low point column head is a structural extension of a building column and is adapted to permit the attachment of support beams at the column as well as the placement of a roof drain at the center of the column head such that the roof drain may be located directly at the lowest area of the roof thus eliminating standing water.
Warnecke in U.S. Pat. No. 6,953,208 B2 discloses a drain support plate adapted to fasten to a receptacle body of a drain. A first end of the receptacle body includes at least one protrusion extending away from the receptacle body and a second end of the body fastens to a drain pipe. The drain support plate includes a body having a first portion, an intermediate portion and a second portion. The first portion has a plurality of elongated slots adapted to receive fasteners for securing the support plate to the deck. The second portion of the body also defines at least one slot to receive a member of attaching the body to the support plate. A distance between the first portion and the second portion is sufficient for the second portion to support the receptacle body. Further the slot in the second portion is adapted to be aligned with the receptacle body for receiving a member for attaching the receptacle body to the body of the support plate.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited patents issued to Emberson U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,100, Walczak et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,175 and Besal U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,506 B2.